


The Bookstore/Café at a Conveniently Quiet Part of the Universe

by Meatball42



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bookstores, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Cafes, Donna Noble Remembers, Extra Treat, Gen, Healing, Magic, Post-Episode: s04e13 Journey's End, Unreliable Narrator, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 05:34:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20755163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball42/pseuds/Meatball42
Summary: “Where are we?” Bucky asked after he’d finished his latte.





	The Bookstore/Café at a Conveniently Quiet Part of the Universe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aurilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurilly/gifts).

“Where are we?” Bucky asked after he’d finished his latte. It was a casual question; he said it while observing the muffin he held gingerly in his metal hand, like he thought the little chocolate chips would be relevant to the answer.

Donna stopped wiping at a table nearby. “We’re in a bookstore.” The  _ ‘duh’ _ was implied. She gestured around them, at the stacks of books, and down at her own barista apron and nametag.

Buucky looked at the nametag. It said, ‘Donna.’ He looked at the apron. It said…

Well, it said the name of the cafe that was inside the bookshop. He just… couldn’t really tell what it was.

That was certainly suspicious. But, on the other hand, Donna had made him an excellent latte, the muffin was really good, and no one had shot at him or tried to electrocute him or anything the whole time he’d been here.

“How long have I been here?” he asked.

Donna turned around slowly, a customer service smile on her face. “I haven’t been keeping track of your comings and goings, Mr. Barnes.”

Bucky… couldn’t remember telling her his name. “Did I tell you my name?”

“Well how else would I know it?”

She began scrubbing at the next table with enough vigor that Bucky figured he should stop asking.

He finished off the muffin and went back to his book. It was a very good book, engrossing and relaxing, at once exciting and soothing. He looked up a while later to drink some more of the excellent latte, and couldn’t quite remember what the book was about.

He took another sip, then looked at Donna, the only other person in the cafe, and, actually, the bookstore. She was sneaking a pastry of her own behind the cash register and tapping on her phone.

“How long have you been here?” he asked.

“Mate, I’m just the temp,” she told him with a dramatic sigh. “I’m here for as long as they need me.”

Bucky picked up the chocolate chip muffin she’d brought him and inspected it with his metal hand. He didn’t know why, but in just the time he’d been here, he’d become less worried about squashing it accidentally. It was almost like being in the cafe was making him feel better all by itself.

He looked at Donna again and caught her staring at him oddly. “What is it?”

“I…” she checked up toward the front of the store, then back at Bucky, and then up and around. Bucky followed her gaze- no threats. It didn’t feel like this cafe was the sort of place one would encounter a threat.

“I don’t… know how long I’ve been here,” Donna said slowly. “But… my friend said I should stay. Until I felt good enough to leave. He said he’d pick me up. He… he was wearing a brown suit. Spiky hair. You haven’t seen him, have you?”

Bucky shook his head. He thought for a moment. “I think I’m supposed to stay here, too.”

They considered these possibilities for a good minute. Bucky drank some of his latte and Donna took another bite of her pastry.

“Hey,” Bucky told her. “If you make yourself a coffee, I won’t tell anyone.”

Donna grinned and began to do so. Over her shoulder, she asked, “What’s that you’re reading?”

Bucky looked down at his book. “It’s good,” he replied. “Why don’t you take a break and read something, too? There’s no other customers.”

“Maybe I will,” Donna said airily, and did just that.


End file.
